Side-delivery buncher for mowing-machines.



No. 764,081. PATENTED JULY 5,--1904. J.J.THORNBURGH. SIDE DELIVERY BUNGHER FORiMOWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 001230, 1903.

no MODEL.

1X muses UNITED STATES latented July 5, i904.

PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN J. THORNBURGH, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,081, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed October 30, 1903. Serial No. 179,166. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN J. THORNBURGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Side Delivery Bunchers for Mowing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate devices for controlling the discharge of clover and similar material from the windrowing attachment for the cutting-bar of a mowing-machine of the type shown in reissued Letters Patent No. 11,978 to T. B. Fagan.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a gate mounted to swing upward and laterally when discharging the material from the windrower-slats.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate which, with the windrower-slats, will form a sort of a basket to hold the material until its discharge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate for the purpose described which may be kept closed by the driver and which when released will be opened by the combined action of a spring and the pressure ofv the material to be discharged.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate at an angle to the side of the windrower to obstruct in the best manner the escape of material from the latter. In this connection means are preferably provided for adjusting the angle of the position occupied by the gate when in closed position.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a conventional form of mowing-machine with a windrower attachment and with my improved gate in one of its embodiments carried by the mowingrnachine. Fig. 2 represents. in an enlarged perspective view, the gate and its carrying and operating parts detached, the full lines representing the gate in the position which it occupies relatively to its support when the gate is closed and the dotted lines representing the gate in open or partially-open position. Fig.

3 represents a detail perspective view of the gate-pivot and the bracket therefor.

Similar reference characters indicate simi lar parts throughout the several figures.

A mowing-machine is represented at A in Fig. 1 and the cutter-bar at a, to which the slats B of the windrower attachment are attached. To the rear end of the pole a or some convenient portion of the mowing-machine frame is secured a bracket 5, said bracket being clearly indicated in Fig. 2. To this bracket a bar 6, comprising a gate-support, is attached by suitable staple-bolts, and to the rear or outer end of the gate-support 6 is secured a casting or bracket 7. Said bracket, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is provided with upper and lower flanges 8, having openings to receive the pivot pin or bolt 9, which forms the hinge upon which the gate swings. As shown, the flanges 8 project from the bracket 7 at such an angle that the gate swings from its closed position upward and laterally to an open position. The pivot 9 is formed with a flange'll at its lower end and with an arm 12 projecting in an opposite direction from said flange. A stop-collar 10, secured upon the pivot 9 above the lower flange 8, holds the pivot-pin from downward movement in the bracket, while permitting it to rotate in the bearings formed in the flanges 8. The gate bar or rod 13, preferably bent to a somewhat angular form, is attached to the flange 11 by suitable bolts, the said gate-bar being strengthened by means of a brace lt. The outer end of the gate bar or rod 13 is preferably curved somewhat toward the longer slat of the windrower attachment and is provided with suitable pendants of the necessary size, strength, and shape to obstruct the discharge of the grass from the windrower when the gate is set adjacent to the latter. Preferably said pendants are so shaped as to cooperate with the windrower in forming a basketlike receptacle for the material. In the form which I have chosen to illustrate in the drawings said pendants comprise tines 15,which are secured to the bar 13 by suitable bolts. Said pendants or tines are shown as curved at their lower ends toward the windrowing attachment, so that in connection with the latter they will form a basket to hold the material when the gate is closed as above mentioned. The points of the gate-tines are also sloped somewhat backward, and their lower ends When the gate is closed will be some two or three inches above the ground and close to the long slat. Slotted holes in the brackets 5 and 7 provide for adjustment when the parts are assembled, so that the gate-tines will occupy substantially the position described in reference to the surface of the ground.

Afoot-lever 16 is pivoted to a casting 17, the latter being secured to the support 6 between the castings 5 and 7. A compound connecting-rod comprising the bars 18 and 19, adjustably secured together by the clamp 20, connects the foot-lever with an eye 21, formed in the flange 11. A spring 23 connects the eye 22 in the casting 17 with the eye 25 in the outer end of the arm 12 of the pivot-casting.

It will now be understood that when the footlever is depressed to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 the gate will be drawn to its closed position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2 and as also shown in Fig. 1. Release or upward movement of the foot-lever permits the spring 23 to swing the gate on its pivot, the latter being at such an angle as to cause the gate to swing upward as well as laterally away from the discharge side of the windrower slats. The limit of movement toward the closing position may be prescribed by contact of the foot-piece of the foot-lever with the top of the casting 5. Said lever is shown as provided with upper and lower eyes 26. 1f the compound connecting-rod is connected with the lower eye 26, the parts are so positioned that when the foot-lever is thrown downward to its extreme limit the said connecting-rod extends in a plane below the pivot of the foot-lever, and therefore the gate will remain closed without being held by the driver. A foot-strap 37 enables the driver to start the foot-lever upward to a point where the spring 23 will act to open the gate. If it is not desired that the gate be locked in closed position, the compound connecting-rod will be engaged with the upper eye 26, so that when the foot-lever is down the connecting-rod will extend in a plane above the pivot of the footlever.

By adjusting the length of the compound connecting-rod by means of the clamp 20 the angle which the gate will occupy relatively to the discharge of the material may be changed as may be desired. It is preferred for most purposes, however, that the general plane of obstruction afforded by the gate-tines to the escape of the material shall be at a right angle to the plane of the upwardly-bent ends of the windrower-slats to prevent tendency of the material to force its Way between the gate and the curved end of the longer slat. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the particular angle which the gate shall occupy relatively to the windrower attachment. Furthermore, the lever 16, although referred to as a foot-lever, may be operated by hand, its position and form being altered, if necessary or as desired, to enable it to be more conveniently operated by hand.

Having now described my invention, without attempting, however, to describe all of the forms in which. it may be embodied, what I claim is 1. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowing-machines, of a movable gate for the discharge side thereof, and means for holding said gate closed at an angle to the side of the windrower, to obstruct the escape of material from the latter.

2. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowing-machines, of a movable gate for the discharge side thereof, and adjustable means for holding said gate closed at an angle to the side of the windrower, and crossing the line of discharge from the windrower sufliciently to obstruct escape of the material.

' 3. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowing-machines, of a gate pivoted to swing laterally relatively to the windrower, and means for automatically holding the gate in open position.

4.. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowing-machines, of a gate pivoted to swing laterally relatively to the windrower, and a spring for holding the gate in open position.

5. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowing-machines, of a pivoted gate for obstructing escape of material from the windrower, the pivot of the gate being at an angle to cause the gate to swing upward and laterally when discharging.

6. The combination with a windrower attachment for mowingmachines having upwardly-turned rear ends, of a movable gate for closing the discharge side of the windrower said gate having portions permanently curved toward the windrower to cooperate with the latter in forming a basket-like receptacle for the material.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. THORNBURGH.

Witnesses:

GEOELIA E. TIERNAN, FLORENCE M. BRANNIGAN. 

